Universal Credit standard allowance: every value since 2013
The monthly standard allowance in Universal Credit, the basic amount before any elements for children, housing, disability or caring are added.
Department for Work and Pensions gives 13 values for the single, 25 or over, from £311.55 in April 2013 to £424.90 in April 2026. Each row is a date on which the rate was set; between the first and the latest it went up eight times, and 4 rows repeat the previous value. The largest rise from one value to the next was +10.1%, in April 2023 (from £334.91 to £368.74). Across the whole series the cash value changed by +36.4%. The value in April 2025 was +1.7% on the one before; ONS CPI inflation for calendar year 2025 was 3.4%. Ten years before the latest value, in April 2016, it was £317.82. DWP's expenditure tables put total spending on Universal Credit at £66.7 billion in 2024/25, with an average caseload of 5,473 thousand.
Single, 25 or over
| From | Single, 25 or over (a month) | Change on previous value | CPI inflation that calendar year (ONS, D7G7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | £424.90 | +6.2% | not yet published |
| April 2025 | £400.14 | +1.7% | 3.4% |
| April 2024 | £393.45 | +6.7% | 2.5% |
| April 2023 | £368.74 | +10.1% | 7.3% |
| April 2022 | £334.91 | +3.6% | 9.1% |
| April 2020 | £323.22 | +1.7% | 0.9% |
| April 2019 | £317.82 | – | 1.8% |
| April 2018 | £317.82 | – | 2.5% |
| April 2017 | £317.82 | – | 2.7% |
| April 2016 | £317.82 | – | 0.7% |
| April 2015 | £317.82 | +1.0% | 0.0% |
| April 2014 | £314.67 | +1.0% | 1.5% |
| April 2013 | £311.55 | 2.6% |
Single, under 25
Department for Work and Pensions gives 12 values for the single, under 25, from £246.81 in April 2013 to £338.58 in April 2026. Each row is a date on which the rate was set; between the first and the latest it went up seven times, and 4 rows repeat the previous value.
| From | Single, under 25 (a month) | Change on previous value | CPI inflation that calendar year (ONS, D7G7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | £338.58 | +6.8% | not yet published |
| April 2025 | £316.98 | +1.7% | 3.4% |
| April 2024 | £311.68 | +6.7% | 2.5% |
| April 2023 | £292.11 | +10.1% | 7.3% |
| April 2022 | £265.31 | +5.4% | 9.1% |
| April 2019 | £251.77 | – | 1.8% |
| April 2018 | £251.77 | – | 2.5% |
| April 2017 | £251.77 | – | 2.7% |
| April 2016 | £251.77 | – | 0.7% |
| April 2015 | £251.77 | +1.0% | 0.0% |
| April 2014 | £249.28 | +1.0% | 1.5% |
| April 2013 | £246.81 | 2.6% |
Couple, one or both 25 or over
Department for Work and Pensions gives 13 values for the couple, one or both 25 or over, from £489.06 in April 2013 to £666.97 in April 2026. Each row is a date on which the rate was set; between the first and the latest it went up eight times, and 4 rows repeat the previous value.
| From | Couple, one or both 25 or over (a month) | Change on previous value | CPI inflation that calendar year (ONS, D7G7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | £666.97 | +6.2% | not yet published |
| April 2025 | £628.10 | +1.7% | 3.4% |
| April 2024 | £617.60 | +6.7% | 2.5% |
| April 2023 | £578.82 | +10.1% | 7.3% |
| April 2022 | £525.72 | +3.6% | 9.1% |
| April 2020 | £507.37 | +1.7% | 0.9% |
| April 2019 | £498.89 | – | 1.8% |
| April 2018 | £498.89 | – | 2.5% |
| April 2017 | £498.89 | – | 2.7% |
| April 2016 | £498.89 | – | 0.7% |
| April 2015 | £498.89 | +1.0% | 0.0% |
| April 2014 | £493.95 | +1.0% | 1.5% |
| April 2013 | £489.06 | 2.6% |
Couple, both under 25
Department for Work and Pensions gives 13 values for the couple, both under 25, from £387.42 in April 2013 to £528.34 in April 2026. Each row is a date on which the rate was set; between the first and the latest it went up eight times, and 4 rows repeat the previous value.
| From | Couple, both under 25 (a month) | Change on previous value | CPI inflation that calendar year (ONS, D7G7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | £528.34 | +6.2% | not yet published |
| April 2025 | £497.55 | +1.7% | 3.4% |
| April 2024 | £489.23 | +6.7% | 2.5% |
| April 2023 | £458.51 | +10.1% | 7.3% |
| April 2022 | £416.45 | +3.6% | 9.1% |
| April 2020 | £401.92 | +1.7% | 0.9% |
| April 2019 | £395.20 | – | 1.8% |
| April 2018 | £395.20 | – | 2.5% |
| April 2017 | £395.20 | – | 2.7% |
| April 2016 | £395.20 | – | 0.7% |
| April 2015 | £395.20 | +1.0% | 0.0% |
| April 2014 | £391.29 | +1.0% | 1.5% |
| April 2013 | £387.42 | 2.6% |
CPI: ONS series D7G7, for the calendar year the period starts in. About these tables · CSV
Related pages
- Universal Credit child element
- Universal Credit LCWRA element
- Universal Credit carer element
- Spending on Universal Credit
- People on Universal Credit (Great Britain)
- Inflation calculator
Sources and receipts
- Abstract of DWP benefit rate statistics 2025: data tables, Department for Work and Pensions.
File: data-tables-abstract-of-dwp-benefit-rate-statistics-2025.ods. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
88418e37624a12186fbbd90f24f5dd31907b5743b1357e027f7b8bfd77da85d3 - Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027, Department for Work and Pensions.
Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
c9ecaacbc351d6d9558982356f12251224815e34b4d00747f2a3b40f7a598b01 - Consumer price inflation time series (MM23), Office for National Statistics.
File: mm23.csv. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
1b78749ea634755b83064d88f4fc6f7dd177e0c41d8b573c9d8172b8d3fff641